On the rain-soaked street, a pale man approached, holding a black umbrella. Yet none of the delinquents paid attention to him—they were all staring at the girl beneath the umbrella.
"Goddess..." they muttered dumbly. None of them had ever seen such beauty. Her silky black hair was tied into twin tails that draped before her shoulders. Her bangs obscured one eye, while the other—deep wine-red—gleamed with gentle amusement. Her refined face was soft, elegant, and irresistibly alluring, and her outfit only made their eyes widen further.
She was still wearing the the shortened version of her Astral Dress, though the outfit looked more like something from a stylish stage performance.
The short skirt showed the upper curves of her thighs, and the black stockings rose high with only a small gap of bare skin between them and her hem. Her arms, shoulders, and neckline were uncovered, and the upper shape of her chest was plainly visible.
Everything about her looked bold yet refined, as if she wasn't concerned about the way their stares clung to her.
"Hey, we found her fainted in the street. We were just going to get her out of the rain. You could come with us if you want!" said the blond-haired leader, flashing what he thought was a charming smile.
A cultured thug—how dangerous. He silently praised his own cleverness. Heh, I really am a man of sophistication.
Standing beneath the umbrella, Major Shuichiro Keido's face darkened, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. This fool... he dares speak so disrespectfully to the Angel? The Major had already sentenced these thugs to death in his mind. The blond one had raised a death flag without realizing it.
"Oh my, that would be troublesome indeed," Kurumi Tokisaki said sweetly, stepping into the circle of men. She crouched down gracefully, lifting the drenched Inori Yuzuriha into her arms.
"This way," one of the thugs said as they surrounded Kurumi, guiding her toward a narrow alley. Keido's eyes flashed coldly; slipping his hand into his pocket, he quietly activated a signal transmitter.
The group led Kurumi into an abandoned building. Once inside, the thugs slammed the door shut and revealed their true colors.
The blond-haired leader grinned wickedly. "You're really not very bright, sweetheart. Nobody's around now—no one would ever know what happens here."
"Yes... nobody's around," Major Keido's voice came from behind them, his tone dripping with mockery. "And no one will ever know."
Bang! The door burst open as armed soldiers stormed in, surrounding the thugs completely.
"From the moment you were born, Inori," Kurumi whispered softly, holding the unconscious girl close, "I allowed you to face only misfortune, while giving happiness to others. For true light can only exist amid darkness and sin. You will become the angel who saves mankind, the one who blesses this world."
Kurumi smiled faintly, stepping past Keido's offered umbrella. Refusing his gesture, she walked alone into the pouring rain.
"Now then," Keido said coolly, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the terrified delinquents. "It's punishment time."
Moments later, gunfire echoed through the abandoned building.
When it was over, Keido emerged with his men, his tone calm but icy. "The Angel has devoted herself to the salvation of mankind. She must not be disturbed by filth like this. It's time we cleanse this city of its vermin."
Clearly, Keido's anger had not yet subsided—and the city's delinquents were about to pay the price.
In the cold darkness, Inori suddenly felt warmth surrounding her. A faint light appeared amidst the blackness, and she instinctively reached toward it.
"Oh my, you're awake." A familiar, magnetic voice spoke softly. Inori blinked in confusion. Her heart trembled. That voice—it was the one that had given her a name. Was this... my family?
"Why are you crying?" The voice was filled with gentle concern. Kurumi looked slightly troubled as she watched Inori's tears fall in the bathtub.
"I... I don't know," Inori stammered, wiping her eyes with her small hands. Her clumsy movements made her look adorably lost.
"Don't cry now. Your clothes were soaked, so I'm giving you a bath," Kurumi said gently, using the showerhead to rinse Inori's pink hair, the warm water cascading down in soft streams.
Curled up in the tub, hugging her knees, Inori felt a strange, overwhelming emotion—one she didn't quite understand. It was... happiness.
"M-my name is Inori," she said shyly, her fingers nervously twisting together. She had never felt so anxious before—but why? Was it because... this person truly mattered to her?
"My name is Kurumi Tokisaki. I permit you to call me Kurumi-chan," Kurumi said softly as she gently washed Inori's hair. The researchers had never taught her such things, and her hair was terribly tangled. Luckily, Inori's constitution was unique—otherwise, she would have gone bald long ago.
"Kurumi-chan!" Inori clasped her hands together nervously, her voice trembling.
"Mm." Kurumi replied softly.
"Kurumi-chan!" Inori called again, sounding a little less anxious this time.
"Mm." Kurumi responded again, her tone patient.
"Kurumi-chan..." Inori's sleepy, dreamlike voice echoed once more—this was just how she always spoke, with that soft, dazed tone.
"Mm."
"Kurumi-chan!"
"Mm."
"Kurumi-chan!"
"Mm."
And so it went, over and over again.
"Ah, Inori, you're just too cute! You've been calling my name this whole bath," Kurumi said with a warm smile, using a hairdryer to dry Inori's pink hair.
Inori's face flushed red. In the mirror, she saw her own expression—she looked happy. She'd been calling out Kurumi-chan for nearly half an hour, and Kurumi had answered every single time.
"Inori, why were you running in the rain?" Kurumi asked as she carefully combed Inori's long hair, her demeanor so gentle and refined that she looked like a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko. Kurumi naturally possessed such elegance—though her mischievous streak usually ruined it.
"They... they mistook me for someone else. They blamed me for things I didn't do," Inori said sadly. Her eyes dimmed. It wasn't my fault. Why did they all hurt me?
"So you ran away because you felt wronged?" Kurumi asked, tying Inori's pink hair into twin tails that fell neatly before her shoulders. Then she opened the wardrobe and began picking out clothes—outfits she had already prepared for Inori long ago.
Inori tilted her head, thinking for a moment. She nodded at first, then shook her head. Though she had fled the lab out of pain, what truly drove her was her longing for belonging—for home.
"I see... and have you ever hated them?" Kurumi asked, finally selecting a pink outfit—the same one Inori wore in the anime. After all, nothing could surpass the original design.
Hate? Inori blinked blankly, trying to understand. Is hate what those people felt when they looked at me? She couldn't do that. If she ever tried, she knew it would only hurt her own heart.
"Um... how do I wear this?" Inori asked, staring at the pink dress with confusion. "There are no buttons. Lab coats all have buttons." Though she didn't say it aloud, Kurumi could read the thought perfectly from her expression—it said, I don't know how to put this on.
"Oh my! Stand up, I'll help you. This is the first time I've ever had to dress someone myself," Kurumi muttered, feigning annoyance as she took off Inori's towel and began to dress her.
Nothing scandalous happened. Though Kurumi adored Inori deeply, the girl was still innocent and far too young. Kurumi had the patience to wait until the day Inori bloomed fully.
"My Inori is so beautiful," Kurumi said, finishing by slipping a pair of high heels onto her feet. In the mirror stood a breathtaking spirit—a girl in a flowing pink idol dress, twin pink ponytails framing her snow-white skin. Her proportions were perfect, her legs elegantly sheathed in stockings. Even her gloved hands added to her ethereal charm. Inori stared at her reflection, dazed and amazed by her own image.
"Family... Kurumi-chan, are we family?" Inori asked, not caring about beauty or appearance—only about Kurumi's words: My Inori. Could it be true?
"Mm. We have been for a very long time—and always will be. That's a bond that can never be severed," Kurumi said with a serene smile, her red eyes curving like crescent moons, her aura tinged with a subtle mischievousness.
"Kurumi-chan!" Inori stood up, but unused to walking in heels, she stumbled forward. Before she could fall, Kurumi caught her, pulling her into a soft embrace. Inori's delicate body rested against Kurumi's, and instinctively, she hugged her back.
"So soft... so warm," Inori thought. The warmth of Kurumi's body and the faint fragrance of her skin filled her with peace. She wanted to stay in that embrace forever.
"Oh my, high heels are a woman's charm," Kurumi teased gently. "You'll have to learn how to walk in them. Come—give me your hands. I'll guide you."
Kurumi slipped into her own pair of black high heels as she stood facing Inori, holding her hand. She guided her slowly across the room, their heels clicking lightly against the floor. Each step Kurumi took was steady and elegant, and Inori tried her best to imitate her movements.
Inori wobbled uncertainly, her dazed eyes locked on Kurumi's tranquil smile. Her heart overflowed with a feeling of joy and fulfillment she had never known before. For the first time, she had someone to look up to. That graceful, ladylike smile became the most dazzling sight in her world.
In the days that followed, Inori felt like she was living in a dream. Kurumi was always gentle—teaching her patiently every day.
A lady must always stay clean, she said. Bathe before going out, and bathe again when coming home. Over the next month, Inori learned countless things about being a woman from Kurumi.
For instance—"A woman must cherish herself. Never let a man touch you. Don't talk too long with boys—three sentences at most!"
And when a boy confesses to you, the proper reply is, "I'm sorry. You're a good person, but we're not meant to be. Can we still be like siblings instead?"
...Wait—wasn't Kurumi-chan teaching her some very strange lessons?